TUCSON, Ariz, (AP) – Tucson officials plan to ignore a new Second Amendment Sanctuary bill signed earlier this year that prohibits the use of state or local resources to enforce federal gun laws that conflict with state law stand.
The move by the Democratic Mayoress Regina Romero and the City Council brings the city and state once again to regulate the sale and use of weapons.
The city has long tried to enforce gun laws more strictly than the state’s, including ordering background checks for guns purchased on town property and destroying confiscated firearms. Over the years, these measures have been challenged after Republican-controlled legislation passed laws banning them.
The new lawsuit came after Republican Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill in April declaring that Arizona was a so-called Sanctuary of the Second Amendment. The bill was in part in response to the election of Democratic President Joe Biden, who vowed to enforce stricter gun regulations.
The Arizona Daily Star reports that the state and city could be led to another lawsuit over the city’s June 22 resolution to further enforce all federal gun laws.
The resolution, unanimously passed by the Council, proclaimed that “Federal laws, regulations and statutes regulating firearms in a manner consistent with the requirements of the United States Constitution” will “remain in full force” within city limits “Regardless of whether” these laws, orders or acts are more restrictive or unaffordable than the regulations enacted under the laws of that state. “
Councilor Steve Kozachik presented the resolution last month and said he found the new state law unconstitutional.
“Let’s challenge them,” he told the star. Kozachik said his goal is to have the new law “declared unconstitutional and simply discarded so that we can continue to have a free hand to enforce federal gun laws on the ground.”
The law known as the Second Amendment Firearm Freedom Act states that the state of Arizona is not required to comply with federal gun laws. Federal statistics show Arizona has the 15th highest gun-related death rate and was rated “F” by the Giffords Law Center for preventing gun violence Prevent
The law “prohibits the state and its political divisions from using human or financial resources to enforce, administer, or cooperate with any act, law, contract, order, rule, or regulation of the US government that is in accordance with any Arizona law in Regarding the regulation of fire arms. “
According to The Associated Press, a growing movement of at least 1,200 local governments has declared themselves protected areas isolated from state and federal gun laws since 2018 – when high-profile mass shootings sparked calls for stricter regulations.
In addition to Arizona, a handful of other legislatures, including those in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, jumped on the idea when Biden took office that year. During his campaign, Biden promised, among other things, universal background checks and a ban on offensive weapons. Biden received an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association during his convention.
When Ducey signed HB 2111, he described it as an attempt to protect “an enumerated right” and that it was “a proactive law for what can come out of the Biden administration”.
Charles Heller, communications coordinator for the Arizona Citizens Defense League gun rights group, said he didn’t think the city’s resolution would do anything to change state law.
“They’re trying to wave a flag, no matter how weak it is, that means they don’t like it,” said Heller. In his view, the passage of HB 2111 was a step in the right direction for Arizona, which has relatively loose gun laws because “the federal government shouldn’t be enforcing unconstitutional laws and we’re not going to help them.”
The Tucson resolution states that “the United States Supreme Court has expressly opposed the idea that states can overturn federal law.”
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